Help with a charger for AGM batteries

[smallblock450sl]

What charger are you useing with AGM style batteries? Thanks Dave

[dougmcp]

AGM's will charge with a regular battery charger the same as lead acid, GEL batteries will not.
Curious as to why you are using AGM's? Bang for your buck is still with lead acid.

[smallblock450sl]

Originally Posted by dougmcp

AGM's will charge with a regular battery charger the same as lead acid, GEL batteries will not.
Curious as to why you are using AGM's? Bang for your buck is still with lead acid.

The reason I ask is...Building a 4 passanger Yamaha "Drive" for the Anchorage airport. They spec'd out AMG batteries, no mark/run flat tires and some other stuff. Was told by my Trojan rep/and AGM rep that they require a special charge rate and "algarithum" ?(as I recall) charger or the batteries will fail, like Gel's can. Yamaha "eggheads" can't give me a straight awnser if there new style charger will work. Was told by Lester they have an SCR style charger that is compatable with AGM's , but there model is basicly, you order it and 2-3 weeks out, but at a resonable price. GB, had his AC set up for sale with a Delta? charger and it made me think...why not ask the guy's that Know these things. Thanks for the post Dougmcp. Any other suggestions or ideas? Thanks Dave

[dougmcp]

The charger that comes with the new Yamaha is a high frequency, 3 stage smart charger which should be good for AGM batteries. Smart chargers use I-E-I (constant voltage-constant current) technology which is also used in the SCR chargers that Lester make.
You just need to confirm with Yamaha that their charger does not initiate an equalization cycle.
The charging limit for 48v AGM's is in the neighborhood of 57.6v to 59.2v which is exactly the same as lead acid.
The float level on AGM's is 54.0v to 55.2v, lead acid is 52.8v which is close enough and will not harm the AGM's.
I understand why they want AGM's in a cart that is for inside use and don't want acid spills.
I would say that the Yamaha charger should be OK to use and they will have years of trouble free charging.

[GarageBuilt]

quote=smallblock450sl;422487]The reason I ask is...Building a 4 passanger Yamaha "Drive" for the Anchorage airport. They spec'd out AMG batteries, no mark/run flat tires and some other stuff. Was told by my Trojan rep/and AGM rep that they require a special charge rate and "algarithum" ?(as I recall) charger or the batteries will fail, like Gel's can. Yamaha "eggheads" can't give me a straight awnser if there new style charger will work. Was told by Lester they have an SCR style charger that is compatable with AGM's , but there model is basicly, you order it and 2-3 weeks out, but at a resonable price. GB, had his AC set up for sale with a Delta? charger and it made me think...why not ask the guy's that Know these things. Thanks for the post Dougmcp. Any other suggestions or ideas? Thanks Dave[/quote]

Ok, here goes....yes you can charge agm with any charger.. You can also charge a deep cyle battery with the alternator on your car. But in both cases either battery will live very long.. The agm battery charges the same as a lead acid battery are a deep cycle but at a different rate of charge.

The Delta Q is a fine charger. It will charge all of the different types of batteries. But it needs a code for some of the different types of batteries....
The one thing that a delta Q can’t do, & that is charge the agm odyssey battery to its max voltage.

I use the odyssey 3- bank 50 amp charger. It will push the odyssey 12-volt battery to 14.7 volts.

[smallblock450sl]

Originally Posted by dougmcp

The charger that comes with the new Yamaha is a high frequency, 3 stage smart charger which should be good for AGM batteries. Smart chargers use I-E-I (constant voltage-constant current) technology which is also used in the SCR chargers that Lester make.
You just need to confirm with Yamaha that their charger does not initiate an equalization cycle.
The charging limit for 48v AGM's is in the neighborhood of 57.6v to 59.2v which is exactly the same as lead acid.
The float level on AGM's is 54.0v to 55.2v, lead acid is 52.8v which is close enough and will not harm the AGM's.
I understand why they want AGM's in a cart that is for inside use and don't want acid spills.
I would say that the Yamaha charger should be OK to use and they will have years of trouble free charging.

Once again Thanks for your reply. I've gone thru so many avenues at Yamaha requesting this info and they all "sit on there hands" and pass the buck. As for the new Yamaha charger.....You can have one or many of the ones that don't work, have been replaced and the new ones fail. At this point , I'd like to scrap them all and go back to DPI's (very simple), the Mac's were reliable, but alot of parts and could have a charging rate of up to 64 volts. Can I ask where you received all this great knowledge? The reason I ask is...Alaska is a long way's and I just don't need a problem with a system they expect to work and it fails. Can you see me pulling my hair out?

[smallblock450sl]

Originally Posted by GarageBuilt

quote=smallblock450sl;422487]The reason I ask is...Building a 4 passanger Yamaha "Drive" for the Anchorage airport. They spec'd out AMG batteries, no mark/run flat tires and some other stuff. Was told by my Trojan rep/and AGM rep that they require a special charge rate and "algarithum" ?(as I recall) charger or the batteries will fail, like Gel's can. Yamaha "eggheads" can't give me a straight awnser if there new style charger will work. Was told by Lester they have an SCR style charger that is compatable with AGM's , but there model is basicly, you order it and 2-3 weeks out, but at a resonable price. GB, had his AC set up for sale with a Delta? charger and it made me think...why not ask the guy's that Know these things. Thanks for the post Dougmcp. Any other suggestions or ideas? Thanks Dave

Ok, here goes....yes you can charge agm with any charger.. You can also charge a deep cyle battery with the alternator on your car. But in both cases either battery will live very long.. The agm battery charges the same as a lead acid battery are a deep cycle but at a different rate of charge.

The Delta Q is a fine charger. It will charge all of the different types of batteries. But it needs a code for some of the different types of batteries....
The one thing that a delta Q can’t do, & that is charge the agm odyssey battery to its max voltage.

I use the odyssey 3- bank 50 amp charger. It will push the odyssey 12-volt battery to 14.7 volts.
[/QUOTE]

What???? A code???? Dang guy's..I'm a gas burner , not a sparky Thanks for the replies...my head is hurting and i'm going to eat and have a cocktail or more! I knew this was going to be over my head......................

[dougmcp]

From the Yamaha website regarding their chargers:

Yamaha-built automatic microprocessor-based high frequency switching regulated charger with I.E.I.-type charging profile, an industry first. 17 amp DC max output at 48 volts, 9.5 amp 120 volt AC. Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.) Listed. C.S.A. Certified

Here is a tech bulletin from Trojan regarding battery maintenance for lead acid and AGM's: http://www.wholesalesolar.com%2Fpdf.folder%2FDownload%252 0folder%2Fbattery_maint.pdf&rct=j&q=battery+charge r+I-E-I+charging+profile&ei=5Z8qTJSfHo2gnwe32ICBAQ&usg=A FQjCNEFhrJ7KFkRUC_AMO97UR6yfB4viw
I would look at page 4 to get some comparative numbers re AGM/Lead Acid.

[rabbitreborn]

I know on the GEM carts, the Delta Q chargers have a different alogirythim for lead acid versus AGM versus GEL.

[smallblock450sl]

Thanks for all the help guy's.